Free Contraception for Beneficiaries Uptake “Low”

Figures have been made public over how many beneficiaries have taken up the offer of free long-acting contraception.

The Special Needs Grant administered by Work and Income NZ (WINZ) offers free long-acting contraception for beneficiaries and their daughters (16+). The Grant has been available since 15th October, 2012. Women can choose between:

contraceptive implants (Jadelle)

intrauterine devices (IUDs) or

Depo Provera

Each of these long-term contraceptives have their own side-effects and complications. All of them have an abortifacient property, (meaning they cause an early abortion, if all their other methods of avoiding conception fail and a new life is conceived). In some cases it is possible for the contraceptives to fail completely and a new life succeeds in implanting it its mother’s womb. Sometimes she does not realise she is pregnant for some months. This can be very distressing for the woman, and can be detrimental to the development of her unborn child.

In the five months that the free long-acting contraception has been available, a total of 35 women have taken up the offer.

Throughout last year there was talk of offering free contraception to all women and girls, including giving free emergency contraception to children as young as 12 years of age.

Hopefully, the government will realise that with such a low uptake on the offer for free long-acting contraception it would be beneficial to pull the funding for this programme. Contraception cannot and never will be, an answer to the social ills of New Zealand.